The Council of Europe’s European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), in co-operation with the Czech Public Defender of Rights and the Minister for Human Rights, Equal Opportunities and Legislation, organised a round table in Prague on 3 November 2016 to discuss the follow-up given to the recommendations contained in ECRI´s latest monitoring report on the Czech Republic, published in 2015.

This round table aimed to contribute to the national debate on combating racial discrimination and intolerance in the country, as well as to raise awareness among the general public about these issues. The event brought together national and local authorities, academics, representatives of international organisations and NGOs, as well as members of vulnerable groups of concern to ECRI.

The round table was divided into three sessions:

  • Main findings and recommendations of ECRI’s report on the Czech Republic;
  • Legislative and institutional framework for combating racism and racial discrimination;
  • Roma integration.

The event was opened by Christian Ahlund, Chair of ECRI, Jiří Dienstbier, Minister for Human Rights, Equal Opportunities and Legislation, and Anna Šabatová, Public Defender of Rights of the Czech Republic. ECRI’s report on the Czech Republic was presented by ECRI members Eva Smith Asmussen and Thomas Büchel. Christian Ahlund and Martina Štěpánková, Vice-Minister for Human Rights and Equal Opportunities of the Czech Republic, closed the event.

Dalibor Jílek, ECRI member in respect of the Czech Republic, Ambassador Emil Ruffer, Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to the Council of Europe, and David Beňák, of the Human Rights Section of Office of the Czech Government, chaired the sessions.

In its 2015 report, ECRI expressed concern about a number of issues, such as the limitations to the mandate of the Public Defender of Rights to combat racial discrimination effectively; the complex regime set out by the Anti-Discrimination Act concerning the sharing of the burden of proof; the limited effect of the “Concept for Roma Integration and Strategy for Combating Social Exclusion”; hate speech and discrimination of Roma in access to education and housing.

ECRI recommended amending the provisions of the Anti-Discrimination Act on the sharing of the burden of proof; enlarging the competences of the Public Defender of Rights; focusing the “Campaign against Racism and Hate Violence” primarily on the Roma, and introducing at least one year of compulsory and free of charge preschool for all children before entry to mainstream primary education.

 

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